Comparison - Easy Learning Grammar

The comparative form of an adjective is commonly used to compare two people, things, or states, when you want to say that one thing has a larger or smaller amount of a quality than another.

If the second part of the comparison is mentioned it follows than.

Anna istaller thanMary but Mary isolder.

Emma is muchslimmerthanwhen I last saw her.

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Comparison in which you are considering whether two people or things are equal is shown by using as…as in the affirmative and not as…as or not so…as in the negative.

Helen isas tall asLinda, butnotas strong.

The superlative form is used for more than two people, things, or states, when one thing has qualities that exceed all the others. Superlative adjectives have the in front of them, but it can be omitted in predicative positions.

That isthe smallestcamera I have ever seen.

He gavethe least expensivegift to his sister.

I’ll have whichever is (the)ripest.

There are two ways in which the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives are formed:

You add -er (comparative) or -est (superlative) to the adjective. Adjectives with one syllable usually take these endings.

comparative

superlative

bright

brighter

thebrightest

long

longer

thelongest

sharp

sharper

thesharpest

If the word already ends in -e, the -e must be left off. If a word ends in -y, it usually takes -er or -est, and the -y changes to -i.

comparative

superlative

wise

wiser

thewisest

pretty

prettier

theprettiest

weary

wearier

theweariest

You add the word more or most in front of the adjective. Adjectives with three syllables or more use more or most in front of the adjective.

comparative

superlative

fortunate

morefortunate

themostfortunate

relevant

morerelevant

themostrelevant

Adjectives formed from participles use more or most as well.

comparative

superlative

provoking

moreprovoking

themostprovoking

enthralled

moreenthralled

themostenthralled

To indicate the opposite of both the -er/-est and the more/most forms of comparison, less or least is always used.

comparative

superlative

sharp

lesssharp

theleastsharp

fortunate

lessfortunate

theleastfortunate

interesting

lessinteresting

theleastinteresting

involved

lessinvolved

theleastinvolved

Adjectives with two syllables (including those that already end in -er) can follow either pattern or sometimes both patterns. If you are doubtful about a two-syllable adjective, use the more/most pattern.

comparative

superlative

shallow

shallower

theshallowest

or

moreshallow

themostshallow

polite

politer

thepolitest

or

morepolite

themostpolite

A small group of irregular adjectives have quite different forms for the comparative and superlative forms.